Janina a la Maison

2fer

2013-04-22T13:20:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love 2 for 1 deals? Well if you are like me the answer is a resounding YES! So what do you get? Mango salsa and shrimp ceviche! Sound good? Ok, good... let's do this.

Mango Salsa

1-2 mangos cubed

1-3 Jalepenos (your preference

1-bunch of cilantro

1-whole lemon

1/2 a smal to medium sized purple onion

2-tablespoons of EVOO

3-tablespoons of orange juice

Salt to taste

Mason Jars are an excellent way of keeping your salsa fresh for at least a week-never lasts longer than that in my house. :) This stuff is amazing on chicken, fish, with chips and in tacos. Maybe even a savory turkey meatloaf? Huh... something new to try.

Shrimp Ceviche

For the ceviche:

1-2 lbs. of shrimp(depending on how many people you are serving)

1/2 of your mango salsa base(If you are skipping the salsa and opting for just the ceviche-you can skip the olive oil and orange juice)

2- persian cucumbers(you can use any kind of cucumber- I just really like the persian because they have less water than American)

1-medium sized tomato

Et Voila!

(without shrimp)

(with shrimp)

I only add hot sauce to my shrimp ceviche because I hardly use jalapenos if any since my daughter is such a spicy lightweight--she needs to eat too, I guess. :)

Bon appetit y hasta luego!

In The Kitchen via Instagram

2013-03-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already, come check out what I've been cooking up in the kitchen via IG.

Let me know if you're on there too so I can stop by and visit. :) Happy Thursday all!

Chicken avec mushroom and onions in wine sauce and crispy kale chips.

Chicken with homemade enchilada sauce over saffron quinoa.

Oatmeal pancakes topped with blue berry balsamic reduction, macerated strawberries and a yogurt honey drizzle.

Chocolate oatmeal and pumpkin brownies with frosting and icing!

Spinach salad with balsamic dressing, strawberries and blood oranges.

Ciao!

Painters Table

2013-03-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

As the months and years go by, after yet another move to a new home, sometimes things get a little beat up and you wonder whether or not its time to let them go. Maybe your needs have changed or you've just outgrown a certain style. Whatever the case may be, I wouldn't give up on pieces with good bones.

Here we have exhibit A: victim of storage scraps and mover dings. Not to worry, I have new plans for this little guy. I'll I need is a:

drill gun

casters

a block of wood

glass(home depot will custom cut)

wire

screws

nails

and

spray paint

Once you've drilled the holes to fit each paint brush on the wood block drill the holes for the caster's, then turn the table upside down and attach a wood screw through the table and into the wood block with the holes in it, that way it doesn't move on you when grabbing your brushes. Turn right side up and spray paint the whole thing. Allow to dry and affix your glass top last, you can secure with a little caulking if you have any gaps or are afraid of getting paint underneath the glass. Oh, finally, instead of using a dowel rod as a napkin holder I just nailed 2 tiny nails, ran some small gauge wire and tied the ends to each nail. This keeps the napkins off the storage area and rolls just fine.

There you have it, a rolling painters table!

Beats the ultra fancy stuff you find on-line or in expensive art stores. Like this one:

#Terrariums and Mini Gardens

2012-12-13T08:42:00.002-08:00

If you've been on #Pinterest at all you might have noticed an increased popularity of terrariums, mini gardens, and fairy gardens. This whimsical hobby is fun for the whole family and the possibilities are endless. Here are a few I came up with:

Leprechaun Garden

Yoda's Bonsai

Candle Lantern Garden

Candle lantern's are not only good for candles they make great center pieces and even better terrariums.

Terrarium with battery operated LED lights.

(Close up)

#Stonehenge

Putting travel souvenir's to good use.

Top view.

I only wish I could get my hands on greener, smaller moss. Maybe I'll make my own. I found a recipe on... you guessed it Pinterest(there is beer involved-can't wait to try it).

12-12-12

2012-12-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

Since my last post we've been a little crazy dans la maison. Moving is never easy especially if you are sans a maison for an entire summer. Now that the chaos is behind me, I can get back to some unfinished projects. Here is the first:

(I was unable to find a photo of the original piece)

This bench was purchased in a little antique store in V.A.

I also worked on a little side table recently. Still debating on whether I should cover the side with little square mirror tiles.??

Bon nuit.

Carte Postale

2012-03-01T22:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday

I'm sharing my latest "junking" find. An album of old french post cards! I have to tell you these postcards are beautiful and bonus they have a story to tell about a mother who visits her sister in Paris. At least thats what I've made out so far. It's a little tough to read since the handwriting is so small.

What I do know is that correspondence is primarily between Paris and Chicago, Paris to New York, and Paris to Illinois. The postcards dates range from the 1920s-1923. I am looking forward to putting the timeline puzzle piece together, only about 95 cards to get through-easy day. Here are a few for you to enjoy.

Bon Nuit.

Tree Table

2012-01-31T18:25:00.000-08:00

Tree stump tables are not as easy as I had hoped. I somehow convinced myself that the bark would flake off with ease. Not so. This was quite labor intensive.

The bark was tough to pry off, it was as if it was glued on or something.

Not only do I have to muscle through this process I also have to be mindful not to leave scars in the stump which is extremely difficult.

Once the entire outer ring is removed its time to break out the trusty sander and get sanding. Depending on what look you are going for you will be sanding either sanding for a while or a long while.

Then it's time remove all debris and apply paint, stain, lacquer, or a simply clear poly.

I opted for a natural rustic look so I applied a clear fast drying poly.

Voila!

I did think of painting them...white maybe? Metallic silver? Hmm....

Well now that thats out of the way I guess I should get started on my post.

Hasta luego amigos.

Recycled Bottles

2012-01-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

I've had such an awesome response to my DIY Bottle lamps post (link here ) that I thought it only fitting to post another wine bottle idea. Here are some photo's of my wine bottle center piece.

Hoping to inspire you to recycle, reuse, and repurpose!

^Instagram photo^

This bottle will be recycled very soon. :)

Enjoy.

A Dandy Chandi

2011-12-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

The August Project

The after photo.

Here is the before photo.

I bought it for $25 at an antique store in Indiana.

(Can you believe the original purchase price was $125??)

I am so happy with the results, and ecstatic to find the the wiring was still in good shape something I didn't think of when purchasing the darn thing, thank goodness it all worked out.

Hope you enjoyed the before and after photo's.

Bon Nuit.

Linking: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/, http://katherinescorner.com/

Repurposed

2011-12-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

Watch this old cabinet door transform.

Take this old cabinet door. Clean it up, sand it down and spray paint it.

Rip up a few pages from your used book and lay them out so you have an idea of the number of pages you'll need.

Take your trusty modpodge out and do your thing. Allow the glue to dry completely. Once glue has dried apply a coat of clear poly, repeat if necessary.

Don't forget to add sctrach pads on the back of the door, you don't want to scratch up your furniture or have an uneven tray from the screws of the handles.

Now you can attached the handles.

Isn't she beautiful?

Sweet.

This would make an awesome Christmas gift.

Bonne Journee

Guest List

2011-12-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

(click to enlarge)

Grab the guest list because we are making place cards.

First I need to share my new art project find, "Nat Geo Art". I stumbled on this project on youtube and was so fascinated with the results I immediately ordered Citrasolv. A couple weeks later I stumbled on a pile of National Geographic Magazines from 1978 on a recent "junking" adventure with a girlfriend of mine. How lucky am I?

Ok-Here are the Why's...

-Why Nat Geo? From what I understand the magazines were made with a certain type of ink that reacts to the degreaser(which leads me to the next why).

Why Citrasolv? Apparently this reacts the best to the ink.

Why 1978? The magazine should be at least 10 years old or older I'm guessing it's because they(Nat Geo) no longer use this type of ink.

Here are the steps to create this beautiful abstract art paper.

1. Simply paint on a generous amount of the orange degreaser on all pages or pages you wish to alter.

2. Close the magazine pat down excess and leave it closed for 30mins.

3. Be ready to be amazed. Open the magazine rip out the pages and hang or lay them on a flat surface to dry.

**Note: this is very messy so be sure to protect your surface area**

Just look at the images... this makes me so happy.

So now you have a ton of this paper, what now? The first thing I made was place cards.

I mod podge(glued) the paper to plain white card stock for stability and since I still have a little chalk paint left over from my chalk board I went ahead and painted name boxes on each card.

I can erase if I spell someones name wrong or make last minutes changes.

**Note when painting on the chalk paint use a paint brush. It makes for a much smoother surface than something like a sponge brush**

Tada!

Linking: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Sunset Dreams

2011-11-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

A room make-over for a special 12 year old girl. My daughter. This is her first big move. She has moved in the past, but she was too young to remember. This time she is the cool girl on campus and about to enter the 6th grade in a brand new state, and a brand new school. To say the move was tough on her would be an understatement.

What's a mother to do? Try and make her room a haven. So I asked her what theme she would like, and she replied, "I want a California room with a sunset". I told her to google a photo and I would try my very best to recreate it. Here is the actual photo.

Okay, I have my work cut out for me. Here goes nothing...

Prep.

More Prep.

The base of the sunset. At this point I am a little frustrated, because the paint is drying too fast. I need glaze quick.

Well...Here is the finished product. (Working on curtains of course)

Equipped with a CA license plate.

No, I'm not a professional and this isn't perfect but the room was a big hit for my little one and that's all that matter's to me. Now California is never too far away.

Outdoor Lighting

2011-11-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Fancy outdoor lighting.

The side effects of drinking wine: empty wine bottles.

Do you repurpose your wine bottles?

Just in time

2011-11-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

Paper Wreaths. A tutorial, just in time for the holidays. You can make one and change out the center for any occasion. The possibilities are endless.

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Alright lets get to it. First things first, cut out a circle (you can use cardboard, foam board, and even precut cake circles, just make sure you can punch a hole in it). The bigger the circle, the bigger the pages, the bigger the wreath.

Next, take your used-read ten times-now it's time to donate-or throw away book, and rip out the pages. You want a good amount of loose paper ready to go.

Now with the help of my assistant (whom apparently was painting-notice the dark mark on her hand) we fold. Grab ends of paper and bring them together.

One corner will be pulled into the cone, and should be slightly lower than the outer corner. Just like a pipping bag.

Make sure the edge of the inner corner is tucked under.

Avoid This

Tighten the cone if it is too loose or round. You'll need to be very careful not to crumple up the paper, you want a good handle on this but not a death grip.

You'll need one hand free for glueing, so hold it tight, but not too tight.

Once your desired cone shape has been achieved, it's time for hot glue. You can use stick glue, but I prefer using hot glue because it makes the process move along quickly. Just be careful not to burn your fingers.

Time for that cardboard circle you cut out earlier. Add a dab of glue in the center and start glueing the cones one by one.

About half way though, hole punch your circle, you can do this at the very beginning.

Tie a ribbon or string through it. Note; this will not be seen once the other cones are added, so it doesn't matter what color or material it is. (You can add ribbon to this to create a bow, etc...See my Halloween wreath)

First row is done.

This project is pretty forgiving, if you have any gaps when your done, glue them together.

Now it's time for the top row. This is a little more tricky, especially if you are using the same size cones because you start to run out of room in the center. If you run into this problem pinch the very ends to make room (remember the center will not be seen) this area will be covered.

Avoid This

Make sure all the points meet in the center and avoid simply overlapping, it is not cute. Only took 2 wreaths to get it down. I still get lazy sometimes and let some things slip through the cracks, hopefully you'll do better.

Most important thing is to keep the cone opening facing upward. Try not to let them turn to the side, also the top layer needs to be right below the bottom layer or you will not be able to see the bottom row.

This one will stay in my girlie craft room. :)

Holidays

Christmas

Everyday & custom wreaths.

Let me know if you try this. I would love to see how you do. Hope this helps, happy wreathing everyone.

Linking; http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://romantichome.blogspot.com/, http://todayscreativeblog.net/

Bedside

2011-10-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

I know what your thinking. Why on earth would I ever purchase these hideous looking things? I'll tell you why, because I am in desperate need of bedside tables. I have been without them for quite some time now, and I can no longer put them off. Moreover, these guys were a fraction of the price of some bedside tables I've seen thus far.

When I set out on my hunt for this particular item(s), I made myself a criteria's list which included; an identical pair(although I'm not a stickler on matching pieces-just felt they had to be for this), I preferred a square shape as opposed to a round one, I wanted legs, and finally, a drawer. Bingo! They had it all, so I loaded them into the car, brought them home and worked my magic.

There they are, all cleaned up, spray painted, and jeweled up.

I used a few, old, shower curtain hooks for the drawer pulls. I had to pull out the "hooks" with pliers for a smooth surface on the back, once the metal was off, I applied a little E600 glue and presto, not your ordinary knobs but these work very well. I also borrowed glass from the entertainment center in the living room and used them as glass tops.

I love the way they turned out, they make perfect bedside table's and I finally have a place for my gorgeous crystal lamps.

Linking; http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/, http://www.thegirlcreative.com/, http://todayscreativeblog.net/, http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/, http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Getting ready for Halloween

2011-10-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share a few photo's of my Halloween wreath. Hope you enjoy.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Linking: http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/, http://www.skiptomylou.org/, http://www.thegirlcreative.com/, http://todayscreativeblog.net/, http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/, http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

A long story, short.

2011-10-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Time for some bedside table lamps.

This was the perfect stop.

This place is filled to the gills with junkn' treasures.

There's stuff in the driveway.

In the backyard.

In the attic. There's even stuff in the house next door.

And then I spot them. I must have these. So we dance, bargain that is. No sooner than the deal was brokered, and before I could even get these beauties into my home, does a certain someone who will remain nameless, break one of the lamps. Tear. I hold back the anger-he must be testing my "zen". No worries, I convince myself it will be ok.

So I take her home and commence lamp surgery. First, taking both lamp's apart to thoroughly clean them, because they have been neglected for who know's how long. Then comes the crazy glue(this has to work because I'm not buying anymore lamp's).

Et voila. Problem solved. Smiling now. Especially since I will be putting this lamp on nameless persons' side of the bed(heh heh).

There she is. All dolled up with a brand new lamp shade and a new base color. The base is metal primed white for now, incase I want a metallic, or even a high gloss white finish later on.

Fin.

Linking: http://blog.innerchildcrochet.com/, http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

Google + and Pinterest

2011-10-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

I am so upset because I lost most of my blog pics while adjusting my photo settings on this new "google+" whatever it is. Ughh! I am so furious. I have to go through my computer to try and match up pics with blog posts I've posted in the past. Which is going to be difficult because I have deleted so many photo's and old documents to make room on my computer.

I guess I should get posting, since my blog has thinned out so much. So I'll leave you with this picture of my mason jar soap dispenser and q-tip, cotton ball holder. I love this idea, I had to make it it after I saw it on Pinterest (you can follow me by clicking on the link). Love the site by the way.

Happy Pinning.

Painted Walls

2011-09-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

I'm getting started on my room finally... or again(for the umpteenth time). This time however, I think I will go in a completely different direction. I've been eyeballing grey walls lately, so naturally I tried my hand at a faux concrete wall.

Here is what I came up with; I used a dark gray patio paint as a base and brushed on a mixture of white latex paint and a clear glaze medium using a hand "chip brush".

I could have worked the white brush strokes a little more so you wouldn't be able to see the hard edges, but I didn't want the walls to look the same.

(Doesn't look like concrete but I am very happy with the results)

My tree branch has found life again. I found it in a parking lot and had to take it home with me, all it needed was a little spray paint and a few paper butterflies(I plan on making more). As for the dress form, another Home Goods find.

Linking: http://todayscreativeblog.net/, http://www.abeachcottage.com/, http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/, http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/, http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/, http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

#WomanCave

2011-09-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

Office space in the works... :)

Before

(Told you most of my stuff was dark... Can't wait to paint)

To create this look for your space...

1. First you will need a thin large piece of wood(home depot will sell you scrap wood for a 1/3 of the cost-and cut it to your hearts desire for free)or, if you are able to, paint your wall with chalkboard paint. One can is all you need.

$8.98

2. The following items:

2 Magnetic Strips

$8.99 ea.

Ikea magnetic strip found here(http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00136621)

2 Picture Ledges

$9.99 ea.

Ikea picture ledge found here(http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40126069)

3 Shelf Inserts

$5.99 ea.

Ikea shelf inserts found here (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60136623)

1 Curtain Rod

$1.99

Ikea curtain rod found here(http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70117172)

3. Assembly

Attach the magnet strip's to the picture ledge's(you will need a drill gun for this), then attach the ledge's directly on to your chalkboard through the wall.
Once the ledge's are secure attach the curtain rod underneath the picture ledge.
As for the shelving, I turned them upside down so I would have a lip to keep things from falling of the shelves. I also omitted a pair of the shelf legs using only the actual shelf to cap of the top shelf.

After

Thats it folks, embellishment's are up to you. You can improve, change, or rearrange however you like.

**Since the move I no longer have just a "spot", I now have an entire room to work in-small, but it sure beat's the heck out of working in the bedroom. I get to paint the new office and add a few things too. Yippee!

Linking; http://romantichome.blogspot.com/, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/, http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com, http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

Oh Yes I Did.

2011-06-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

First let me apologize for being away so long. My sister and her husband were visiting from the Asian continent for the last 3 and half weeks, so I've been a little busy hosting my family, friends and house guests. Now that the dust has settled somewhat, I am reminded that I only have 9 more days until my family and I move to the East Coast. My how time flies.

In other news; It is with great sadness to say that I will not have my June project completed this June. I will just have to double up next month once we have moved into our new place. So please stay tuned.

I do have pics from my typewriter make-over. I got a lot of grief for this one since I was altering a vintage piece of machinery however, the Royal is mine so I'm painting it pink. My plan to create the most clean, peaceful, girly room I've never had but always dreamed of.

I had to use a small paintbrush so as not to get any paint on the chrome, keys or other mechanical parts of the machine. Although I love the original color of the typewriter I adore the new soft, subtle, pink color, it keeps with the color scheme I am trying to achieve dans ma boudoir and it makes me very happy. :)

Here is a pic of the before(not gonna lie-I like it this way too).

What colour do you prefer?

Linking: http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Towel Pillows

2011-05-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh!! I sewed something! I can't believe it. I purchased a sewing machine 12 years ago, never used it so I gave it away 8 years later. Fast forward to 2 months ago and you'll find a new old vintage Singer sewing machine dans ma maison.

Still afraid but oh so determined to figure things out, I googled and youtube-d my heart out. Finally, a tutorial that showed me exactly how to thread my machine. Who knew the bobbin was that important? Ha ha. I laugh now.

The first thing to hit the machine was another set of towels I never let my family use(how could I-they are so pretty). They will adorn my bed as accent pillows(really, really, small ones). I know I have a long way to go, tons to learn, but I am very happy with the result. I can't wait to show you pics of my cool old Singer. Stay tuned.

Au Revoir

Linking@ http://romantichome.blogspot.com/, http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/, http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/, http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/, http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

Had To Do It Again

2011-05-18T01:44:00.000-07:00

I must be rubbing of on my off on my daughter, because she revamped these heels all on her own. The once black faux patent leather heels were covered with tacky glue and silver glitter. The result is amazing. They look so good on her feet, too bad we're not the same size.

When I saw the finished product, I was inspired to make my daughter her own jewelry cork board. Now we all have one.

This one is for the teen.

This one is for the tween.

And this one is just for me.

I won't be making anymore cork/yoga mat boards for a while. I think we have plenty for now.

Which board do you like best?

Linking up; http://todayscreativeblog.net/, http://www.abeachcottage.com/, http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/, http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/, http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/, http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/

#Mai/Mayo

2011-05-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

My desk makeover is done. I'm feeling like my "woman-cave" is getting closer to becoming a reality. Well, perhaps not so much a cave-more like a "spot"...ha ha.

After sanding and painting this;

I stamped it, changed the drawer pull, glued a couple appliques, and finally applied a protective coat of polyurethane. Voila!

So what's the first craft made on my brand new desk? Personalized magnets of course. Don't you just love these glass marble magnets?

Awesome.

Here are a few sites I used as a reference in making my very own magnets;

http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/marblemagnets/, and

http://www.squidoo.com/HandmadeGlassTileJewelry,

Enjoy.

I'll be sharing this post @http://todayscreativeblog.net/, http://www.abeachcottage.com/, http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/ and http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/, http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

DIY-Bottle Lamp

2011-04-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

Remember these?

Now that you've enjoyed a lovely bottle of wine or two you can make yourself a bottle lamp. Heres how:

1. Clean your bottle and allow to dry.

2. You'll need a piece of clay to help keep the water from running off-just form a ring barrier around the area you intend to drill.

3. Using your 1/2inch diamond head bit, drill into the reservoir of water the clay allows you to maintain.

(Notice the black plastic holders on each side of the bottle. This is to keep it from rolling off the table)

Be careful during this process the bottle may break if you apply too much pressure, or work too quickly. My first attempt was a success, but bottle number 2 and 3 did not make it.

3. You can sand the edges with sanding paper if desired. Be sure to clean the bottle once again making sure there aren't any little pieces of glass.

4. Now your ready for your christmas lights. You can add between 35-50 lights depending on how big your bottle is. To help manipulate placement of lights use a wire hanger to push the lights into the bottle.

You can find lights at this time of year in the garden section of your everyday department store.

5. Now your ready to add the cord switch. Just follow the directions on the back(you can find these at any hardware store).

Voila! You have a really cool looking lamp, and a great conversation piece at that.

You can top the bottle with your favorite wine stopper or simply use the cork it came with. You can also use a tiny little lamp shade(I attempted to make one my self but I didn't like the way it turned out). The decor for these bad boys are endless.

Have fun creating your own lamp. A bientot.

I'll be posting @http://www.abeachcottage.com/, http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/
and
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/, http://romantichome.blogspot.com/,
and
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/, http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/